CAIRing TOO MUCH

Yesterday, the President used the term "Islamic fascist" to describe the enemy that we are fighting. He has started doing this with some regularity lately; a development which I am glad to see sinc the word "terrorist" is too vague, and the "war on terror" too vapid for my taste.

Nevertheless, with a predictable quality reminiscent of Freud's repetition compulsion, the Islamic facists apologist group known as CAIR condemned the terminology and came out with its latest variations on its ongoing theme of Islamic victimhood and oppression--not, as a reasonable person might think, the victimhood and oppression caused by Islamic jihadists; but rather the victimhood and oppression suffered by same:

"We believe this is an ill-advised term and we believe that it is counter-productive to associate Islam or Muslims with fascism," said Nihad Awad, executive director of the Council on American-Islamic Relations advocacy group.

"We ought to take advantage of these incidents to make sure that we do not start a religious war against Islam and Muslims," he told a news conference in Washington.

"We urge him (Bush) and we urge other public officials to restrain themselves."

Quite honestly, it would make much more sense if they exhorted the fanatics of their own religion to "restrain themselves"; or even if they could summon up the intellectual and moral courage to admit that Islam and muslims have "started up a religious war" against everyone else.

I'm afraid their CAIRing attitude is beginning to really grate on me as they so obviously try to bamboozle the MSM, who uncritically present their perspective since it [coincidentally, I'm sure] happens to fit into their "bush-is-bad-America-brought this-on-itself-get-rid-of-bush-republicans-and-this nightmare-will-all-go-away" template.

CAIR has consistently and with malice aforethought twisted every act of Islamic violence, cruelty and barbarism into an indictment of America and the West. Their professional propagandists play the victimhood card--as well as, or even better than, an Al Sharpton or Cynthia McKinney--in every news release, press conference, and public statement. And, of course, they manage to shirk all responsibility for what is being done in their religion's name, thus eroding any credibility they might have in the discussion of how to deal with the problem.

Nor have they done anything to further the cause of the many decent, moderate muslims in the U.S. or elsewhere.

If there is a growing Islamophobia in this country and the world, groups like CAIR have done their best to fuel it. As we say in psychiatry, you aren't paranoid if they really are out to get you. And the Islamic fascists/jihadist/terrorists have made it perfectly clear through their words and actions that they ARE out to get us.

There was an ongoing discussion of exactly this issue at The Corner yesterday (see here, here

Katherine Lopez has this to say to them today:

You complain about George W. Bush's use of a perfectly legitimate term you don't like on the day news of a massive terror plot breaks, so I get e-mails like this one (and I have an inbox full of them this evening/morning):

There's no difference between CAIR and "Islamic Fascists." NONE! CAIR totally sympathizes with and embraces them. It's time to let go of the myths of "moderate muslims" or "moderate Arabs." They don't exist. There's no difference between Sunnis, Shia, Shiites or whatever. They ALL want to kill us.

I cannot help but think that if anyone is fueling anti-Muslim bigotry right about now, it is a group like CAIR who is doing it by raising the wrong fears and condemning the wrong people. George Bush, Rick Santorum, etc. help Muslims by defining our enemy as Islamofascists. You ought to take that ball and roll with it, moderate Muslims (you're out there, I've met you, I know it) — you need to make clear terrorists do not speak for you and your religion and groups who only serve to confuse things and stoke anger by misdirected outrage don't represent you. I don't speak Arabic and read the Koran so I can't do it. You who do, you might want to speak louder — we could all use your voice.

If you want to hear the voice of moderate Islam, then I urge you to read Eteraz's latest post on British Muslims.

I don't always agree with Ali, but his is a voice of reason that needs to be heard in a discussion between people of goodwill on both sides.

The truth is that CAIR has failed to demonstrate either reason or goodwill; nor have they demonstrated common sense or any degree of credibility at all since their organization has come into the public spotlight since 9/11.

They are just another propaganda mouthpiece for the jihad.